Flu Season Holistic Help

February is predicted to be one of the worst flu seasons this year because of our unusual weather patterns not knocking out many of the bugs.  

We can't do much about things but let them run their course, but here are a few tips to help you out.

• At the first signs of symptoms, stay home and get rest. It not only allows your body to devote all its energy into the healing. It also keeps your illness away from others.
• Get as many fluids in you as possible. Dehydration is huge in the winter time already with winter atmosphere being so dry, but when you are sick you get a few more pints down. Make sure you are not thirsty and you have enough urine, going to the bathroom several times a day. The color should be light yellow, if dark you need more fluid. The fluid will help you wash out the toxins from your system as well as cool a hot body.
• At the first sign of sickness use three to five drops of hydrogen peroxide in each ear every four hours during waking ... it was discovered that most cold bacteria start in ears and can be knocked out sooner by using hydrogen peroxide.
• Use ginger for throat issues. I like ginger tea or ginger beer, a soda like root beer which burns when it goes down, but I've been able to recover a voice within a day of using the ginger beer. You can also make a great ginger tea by boiling sliced up peeled ginger in medium sized pot on the stove. Add cherry and or lemon if you need to make it more mild. Using a cherry soda as the liquid is most pleasant, the boiling process takes down the carbination and makes it a bit thicker. Ginger will help settle the stomach also.
• Sinus and headache pain can be reduced by a hand or foot massage using accupressure points. Pinch your big toe at the toenail level for a few minutes to attack the headache. The sinus points are found by digging the fingertips into the sole of your foot where your toes meet the sole. Press as hard as you can while counting to 10, let up for the count of three and repeat four more times. This is great if done in the shower as if you are cleaning your feet. The humidity of the shower it great.
• You can also clean your nose out with water using the neti pot or a modern version you can find at your local drug store. 
• I also like to grab some elderberry sryup when encountering illness. It is a great immune booster. You can also find some elderberry wine if you are a wine drinker.
• Reducing any stress can help in your recovery because the body can devote its resources to the illness instead of the stress at hand. See a holistic healer for some relaxing bodywork or a life coach if it is time to sort through a stressful situation. A good session can stop a cold in its tracks.
• Of course there are the echinacea and the chamomile teas. These teas are good once you have the problem, but do not use them more than two weeks. In many herbal options you need to use them only when needed to be most effective.
• Good old-fashioned chicken soup really is good for you. There are compounds in the soup that help rebuild your protein and some of them go right to the source for repair in matter of minutes. It is the broth that is important in this, just make sure you get the full version not a low fat knock-off. If you can make it from scratch.
• Vitamin C is critical, but so are Vitamin A and Zinc at the same time if you are working on boosting your immunity. Check with your doctor for amounts for your unique body.
• Stomach issues can be calmed with mint such as a peppermint candy. But also you may need to follow the BRAT diet: Bannanas, Rice, Apples and Toast if your stomach issues are bad. 
• Find something to laugh at for 30 minutes a day. Even if you just start yourself laughing you will soon be laughing for real. Laughing sends great chemicals to your immune system and has even been known to knock out cancers.
• Make sure your diet is low in sugar and high in fiber as a preventative measure.
• Don't workout if you are dizzy, really sick, high fever and weak muscles. Wait a day or two and give your body a break. On the flip side get moving as quickly as possible to keep the lymph clear. If you only have a head cold a workout can clear that especially a workout involving bounce such as one on a trampoline or jogging. Just remember to bring your tissues.

Employ your sensibilities as preventative measures. Wash your hands more frequently, don't use a sick person's phone or keyboard and shake elbows instead of hands if you feel you or the person you are meeting is sick. In this case a hug may be healthier than a handshake, if you are on hugging terms with the person.

My hope is that you go through this season without incident and if you do have issues they be mild. Stay Well!

Linda Bender is a metaphysical doctor trained as a medical intuitive. She uses over 20 holistic life coaching and touch therapy techniques from Reiki to personal training to help you reduce stress and pain so your body invokes its natural healing ability. She is at on Church Street in Phoenixville. See www.BenderHealing.com or call 800-706-1354 for more information.